Security measures to take when you Lose your Keys

Losing your keys is never a nice experience, especially when you don’t have a spare handy. It also comes with a lot of inconveniences including time spent trying to find the keys, getting a locksmith to change the locks, and changing your day’s plans or routines. But even more inconvenient and more concerning is the potential security risk it exposes your home, family, and belongings to if you fail to find the keys. Therefore you need to act fast and take some security measures.

Besides ensuring that you have done a thorough search for the keys and concluded that they are lost, consider these security measures to keep your home or office safe.

 

Call the Police 

 

Call the police to report missing keys. Sometimes keys found on streets or in public parks are given to police and kept in a central location. Reporting to the police is a vital security measure to take especially if your purse or wallet was stolen along with your keys, you also become at risk for identity theft.

 

Call a Locksmith & Change the Locks

 

Whilst you think you have just dropped your key, it could have, in fact, been stolen or you maybe you did drop it, but in close proximity to your front door. All these options make it likely that someone could take advantage and break in, so you’re definitely better off investing in a new lock and key.

Cut a new key or change your locks: Decide whether to cut a new key or change your locks. In many cases, simply cutting a new key for the existing lock is a good choice, and it’s usually the less expensive option. However, if you’re concerned about someone using your lost keys, changing locks is recommended.

 

Upgrading your home security

 

If you have got to have new locks installed on your property due to lost keys, you may want to take the opportunity to upgrade your home security at the same time. You can also upgrade your key security by choosing higher-quality locks that have useful theft-deterrent features such as anti-snap. In addition to higher quality locks, consider installing smart locks. Smart locks use keyless entry using keypads and codes rather than physical keys. The benefits of smart locks include:

Control of your locks from anywhere. If you lose your keys, you can lock your house right from your smartphone via an app.

Assign codes to each family member. Rather than make copies and spare keys for each member of your family, you can simply assign them a specific PIN. Some smart lock makers allow you to make up to 30 different codes, and this will also show you who is coming and going from your home based on the code used.

Change codes as often as needed. With physical keys, you’d want to change your locks even if one person in your family loses their keys, just to be on the safe side. But this can be both expensive and time-consuming. You can also disable codes and assign new ones right from your smartphone.

Door & Window Security Tips

Doors and windows are the most vulnerable parts of a property, as majority of burglars gain access into a home or office through a door or window that is either not strong enough or left unlocked. Poor lighting around doors and windows and other factors also aid burglars break-in. To keep your home or office secure, it is highly important to assess the state of your doors and windows when moving into a new home and from time-to-time.

Here are some door and window security tips to help you keep your home and office secure from burglary.

 

Door security tips

Change your Door Lock

 

door security

If you have just moved into a new house, it is advisable to change the door locks, especially the exterior doors. This is because you can never always be completely certain or feel comfortable if all previous occupants, their relatives, neighbours, or workmen have returned their key copies. Also, it could be that you are not comfortable with the quality of the current lock and wish to change to a new lock of higher quality. It is a good idea to change the door lock so as to give that peace of mind and control over your door.

Choose Door with Multipoint Locks

 

If you choose to change your door entirely, consider doors with a multiple lock system. They add an extra layer of security. For example, you can install a deadbolt. In addition to a latch and deadbolt, multi-point locks are equipped with a bolt that comes out of the top of the door panel (head bolt) and another that comes out of the bottom (foot bolt). It would take a formidable offender indeed to break through a door secured in four separate places.

 

Make sure your Doors are well lit

 

Walking up to a door that is surrounded by complete darkness would give most of us the chills. That is why having a well lit door is a key tip to keeping you safe. If there is no light at your door there are a few easy fixes for that. The simplest and cheapest fix could be getting a strand of decorative lights and hanging them up around your door or porch. This will give off enough light to brighten up the door space as well as the simplicity of small lights that can be easily removed.  If you want a more permanent fix, there are outdoor lights available at most hardware stores that can be bought.

 

Replace Glass with more solid options

Glass doors and glass inlays on doors are nice to look at but could also pose a danger if hit. Glass can be a pain to clean up and could also result in injury. Try replacing the glass with tempered glass or finding a door with fiberglass inlays to decrease the dangers of broken glass. Tempered glass is much stronger and is more heat resistant than regular glass. It falls apart into small pieces rather than large shards with sharp edges making it much easier and safer of a clean up. Tempered glass is great in any window or door for the increased safety benefits it provides.

 

Window security tips

Get Windows with interior locks

 

It is important to have interior locks on your windows. Many windows now have security latches at two different levels to allow for the window to stay open for ventilation in a safe way. This allows for fresh air as well as the safety of having your window locked.

 

Consider Windows with Tempered glass

 

It doesn’t take much to break standard window glass. But a window fitted with laminated glass is not so easily penetrated. Laminated glass is made by sandwiching a thin, virtually invisible, vinyl film between two layers of glass. That thin layer won’t prevent the glass from cracking, but if it does get broken the glass will stay in place within the window sash or frame.

Window Safety for Children

Keeping children safe around windows is a top priority. You should keep all furniture away from open windows. Children are full of energy and if they are playing on the furniture near an open window it increases the likelihood of an accident happening. Make sure all furniture is a good distance away from the window so that a child could not easily access it.

Install Smart Windows and Doors

You can either set up motion detectors that detect movement within the house or install lock status sensors that will let you know if your doors and windows are locked or if someone unlocks them. Both systems can be built into a new or existing home.